Breastfeeding and room-sharing during COVID-19 in the Netherlands: The impact of perinatal healthcare support

Abstract

Aim: The recommendations of 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and parent-infant room-sharing (RS) are often not followed. As these early caregiving practices may have been affected by the COVID-19-related restrictions, we documented BF and RS practices in the Netherlands (2020-2021) and the effects of perceived perinatal healthcare support.

Methods: Pregnant women and mothers of an infant younger than 6 months (N = 784) completed online questionnaires (e.g., demographic information, the impact of COVID-19 on their lives aspects, infant childcare practices) twice: at the beginning of the pandemic and when the infant reached 6 months of age.

Results: The pandemic EBF practices mirrored pre-pandemic Dutch reports (17.8 %; M_duration = 3.4 months), while RS rates and duration seemingly doubled (30.6 %; M_duration = 3.98 months). Higher maternal education (r = 0.18) and multiparity (r = 0.08) were significantly associated with longer EBF, and similarly for education (r = 0.17) and multiparity (r = 0.11) with RS durations. Higher perceived perinatal healthcare support predicted shorter RS duration [β = -0.509, t(5,596) = -2.27, p = .023].

Conclusion: While the COVID-19 pandemic did not impact EBF, it may have promoted RS. The negative association between perinatal healthcare support and RS may suggest that parents who need more support from their providers also experience more challenges adhering to RS recommendations, yet this hypothesis remains to be corroborated.

Keywords: Breastfeeding; COVID-19; Perinatal healthcare; Room-sharing; Support.